Oleg would not listen. After such a victory he had no desire for peace. He planned to take Novgorod, he had even sent forward his brother, Yaroslav, and was going to assist him. Mystislav sent men, who seized Oleg’s tax-gatherers. In view of this, Yaroslav warned Oleg to guard himself carefully, that forces were advancing from Novgorod. Oleg turned back to Rostoff, but Mystislav followed him. He then left Rostoff for Suzdal; his enemy hurried straight after him. Oleg burned Suzdal and fled to Murom. Mystislav reached Suzdal and halted. From Suzdal he sent an envoy again to make peace, if possible.
Oleg, doubtful of victory through force, now sought it through strategy. He sent back words of seeming friendliness, and was watchful.
Mystislav, thinking peace near, quartered most of his warriors at some distance in villages. While eating at midday, news was brought in that the enemy was advancing rapidly. Oleg had thought that a sudden feint would put his nephew to flight, but Mystislav held his ground firmly. He quickly called together all his men, and when Oleg was drawing near Suzdal, an army was ready for action in front of him. For four days were the two princes facing each other; neither one saw his way to begin the hard trial. Meanwhile Monomach was hurrying on reinforcements to Mystislav. These were Polovtsi commanded by another son, Vyacheslav. On the fifth day Oleg moved against Suzdal, and Mystislav, having placed the Polovtsi in ambush to attack at the critical moment, marched out to meet him.
The battle began, and Mystislav with his Novgorod men was bearing down heavily on the enemy, when the Polovtsi, with Monomach’s banner above them, suddenly rushed at the flank of Oleg’s army. Panic fell on the warriors at sight of that banner; [[37]]they thought that Monomach was attacking in person, and they fled from the field in disorder.
Oleg escaped to Murom, where he left his brother, Yaroslav, and then marched with all speed to Ryazan. Mystislav hastened to Murom, made peace with the people and freed the men seized by Oleg some time earlier, then he pursued Oleg farther. Oleg, learning that Mystislav was approaching, left Ryazan. Mystislav came to terms with the people of Ryazan, as he had with those of Murom. He now sent a second letter to Oleg, urging him to make peace with his cousins. Oleg made a favorable promise, and Mystislav wrote to Monomach on behalf of Oleg, who was his godfather. Because of this letter Monomach, anxious to put an end to the dispute between the princes, sent a mild, but firm message to Oleg. The result was a meeting of the princes in 1097 at Lubetch, a place east of the Dnieper on the land of Chernigoff.
Seated on the same carpet, they agreed that in order to put an end to civil war, each prince, or group of princes, should receive the land held by his, or their father. Hence Sviatopolk received Kief with Turoff; to Vladimir went all that Vsevolod, his father, had held,—Smolensk with Rostoff and its settlements. Novgorod fell to Mystislav, who had conquered Oleg; Sviatoslav’s sons, Oleg, David, and Yaroslav, received the lands of Chernigoff. There now remained the izgoi, or orphans, the excluded princes: David, son of Igor, with Vassilko and Volodar, sons of Rostislav. To David was given Volynia, or all that was left of it after the paring of land from that province. Peremysl fell to Volodar, and Terebovl to Vassilko.
When everything was thus amicably settled, the princes kissed the cross, and declared that if any one of them should raise hands on another all the rest would oppose that man, and the holy cross be against him. After that they kissed one another and parted.
This meeting at Lubetch fixed succession to lands east of the Dnieper by giving what the father had held to the sons of Sviatoslav. But west of that river were, as we shall find, fruitful causes of trouble. In Polotsk was Vseslav, the restless wizard, unrecognized as yet, and dissatisfied. In Volynia was David, son of Igor; next to him were the sons of Rostislav, who had some land which David looked on as a part of Volynia. Vassilko, Prince of Terebovl, [[38]]was renowned for his activity and enterprise. He had led Polovtsi into Poland and was planning new exploits. Warriors from various tribes were coming even then to serve under him. David, perfidious and grasping, but no warrior, was in ceaseless dread of Vassilko. Before the council at Lubetch was ended, Turijak, Vassili, and Lazar, three men of David’s escort, had persuaded their master that Monomach and Vassilko had formed a plan and were ready for action against him. Vassilko, they said, was to take Volynia, David’s land, while Monomach would seize Kief from Sviatopolk. This tale threatened David with loss of rule, and death or exile. He knew well what wandering and seeking for power meant, so on the way back to Kief he explained this tale to Sviatopolk, and added: “Unless we seize Vassilko at once, thou wilt not stay in Kief, nor I in Volynia.” Since Sviatopolk was doubtful as to the truth of this statement, David developed his reasons for making it: “He killed thy brother Yaropolk, and is now plotting against both of us; he is at one with Monomach.”
Sviatopolk was willing to have the deed done, but wished to make David entirely responsible for it. “If thou art speaking the truth,” said he, “God Himself will be witness on thy side. If untruth, He will judge thee.”
When Vassilko reached Kief he was invited by Sviatopolk to the feast of his name’s day, but he excused himself, saying that his men had gone ahead and he must overtake them. On hearing this, David sent word to Vassilko as follows: “Offend not thy elder brother, remain for the feast.” Vassilko refused even this request. David turned then to Sviatopolk, with these words: “Here in thy capital he dares to disregard thee. What will the man do in his own land? He will take Pinsk and other towns, thou wilt think of my words then. Send men, seize Vassilko, and give him to me; I will care for him.”